The goal is to use genes determining genetic variants of the electroencephalogram (EEG) and evoked responses of the EEG and to identify vulnerability genes for alcoholism and related behaviors with genetic components. This initiative is being pursued by: 1) family transmission and association studies on families identified by a population-based survey for probands with EEG variants. 2) a genetic linkage study to map the genes determining the variants. In the genetic epidemiological study, the low voltage alpha (LVA), EEG variant was confirmed to be transmitted in autosomal dominant fashion at least in some families. Alcoholism and anxiety disorders were more frequent in individuals with the LVA trait, identifying a more homogeneous subgroup of alcoholics with a genetic vulnerability. Families with the LVA variant and alcoholism have been collected and families are being analyzed for genetic linkage to dispersed and candidate gene DNA and protein markers.